Dem
48
Ties
3
GOP
49
House speaker Nancy Pelosi had an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper in which she talked about the attack on her husband and her future. She said there was a knock on her door at 5 a.m. and she was scared. It was the Capitol Police and they said they had to come in and talk. She said it was really hard for her because her husband wasn't even the target and he is the one to pay the price. She also said the toll on her children and grandchildren is traumatizing.
She also criticized how Republicans reacted to the attack. Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake made a joke about it. Pelosi said: "I do think there has to be some message to the Republicans to stop the disinformation. That is without any question a source of what happened on January 6, and the denial of that, and then a source of what's happening to me now."
But the big news is that she said she will take the attack into account in deciding what to do next. Cooper asked her if she would retire if Democrats lost the House. She didn't answer that question but did say the attack would certainly affect her decision. If her husband needs care as a result of the attack, that might be a reason for her to retire as party leader in the House and possibly even resign from the House itself, triggering a special election. Her district covers San Francisco and is D+37, so her resignation would just result in her being replaced by a younger Democrat. There is no danger the seat would be lost.
On the other hand, Pelosi can take some credit for the Democrats having bucked the historical trend and doing surprisingly well in a first midterm election. That might encourage her to stay on as party leader. Ultimately, it is her call alone. (V)